ST. JOSEPH, Minn. – Julia Mullenbach, daughter of Al and Lynette Mullenbac h of Rose Creek, has been selected as one of 12 dairy princesses from across the state to the Princess Kay of the Milky Way contest.

Princess Kay will be named during the Minnesota State Fair this summer.

Dairy princesses gathered for the Dairy Promotion and Leadership Event held May 18-20 at the College of Saint Benedict in St. Joseph, Minnesota.

The weekend consisted of a leadership training, a chance to compete for a finalist spot for Princess Kay of the Milky Way and plenty of networking opportunities.

The leadership conference offered the princesses a chance to learn about themselves and how to use their skills to promote dairy. They also learned how to be better advocates for the dairy community and networked with industry leaders and peers.

To compete to be a finalist for Princess Kay of the Milky Way, each princess had to submit an application, participate in a personal interview, prepare and deliver a speech, and participate in a mock media interview. From there, 12 finalists were named to go on to compete for the title of Minnesota’s 65th Princess Kay of the Milky Way.

The 12 young women will have their likeness carved in blocks of butter during the 2018 Minnesota State Fair. Princess Kay and county dairy princesses make appearances to help explain dairy farm families’ commitment to taking care of their animals and resources while providing nutrient-rich dairy products.